Remaining attentive and staying focused are important factors in promoting driver safety. While we are well aware that becoming distracted while driving is dangerous, it is something that happens far too often. Cell phones and other devices stretch our attention while passengers and multitasking also take our focus away from the road. In order to avoid distracted driving, here is a list of helpful tips.

Avoid Cell Phones

Given the increasing number of laws preventing the use of cell phones while driving, it is no secret that cell phones are one of the leading causes of distraction in a vehicle. You’ve probably seen the commercials presenting terrible stories of accidents in which a cell phone distracted a driver. While these commercials are dramatic, they raise a valid point.

Talking on the phone or texting takes away from the amount of attention that we can allocate to the road. Instead of having all of our senses focused on the task at hand, they are skewed as we attempt to simultaneously operate our vehicle and carry on a conversation.

Rather than running the risk of getting a ticket or causing an accident it is a wise choice to avoid cell phone use in the car. While certain things may need our immediate attention and demand cell phone use, there are ways around this. For instance, if you needed to make an important call to your boss at Bortek Industries you could pull over to make the call or call before you begin driving.

The same concept goes for sending text messages and checking your phone for email and other information. If utilizing your phone is important, take care of your business before you begin driving or pull over. This is your best bet for ensuring the safety of yourself and those around you.

Avoid Other Devices

While cell phones may be one of the central culprits for distracted driving other electronic devices are also dangerous. iPods and navigation systems are examples of distracting devices that are commonly utilized in vehicles.

In order to avoid the risk of becoming distracted behind the wheel, taking precautions with these devices can be beneficial. Rather than trying to input information into your navigator while driving you can do so before beginning your trip. The same goes for iPods as you can select playlists prior to driving on the road. These preliminary steps will prevent you from needing to take your eyes off the road to select songs or to input your desired destination.

Multitasking

Aside from operating an electronic device, there are multiple other dangerous forms of multitasking when it comes to operating a vehicle. Reaching for an object, doing your make up and eating food are all examples of tasks that take your attention away from the road. Also, tasks of this nature require you to take your hands off the wheel and make it difficult to adjust to situations.

It’s pretty difficult to swerve away from debris or to when your hands are busy eating French fries or reaching for an item you dropped. Whether or not you choose to perform one of these miniscule tasks while driving can be the difference between a safe trip and having an accident. The positive aspect of this issue is that these are all things that can wait until you reach your destination. Pick up your wallet later, fix your make up in the parking lot, wait on enjoying your fast food and devote your attention to driving.

Passengers

Ensuring that your passengers don’t become a distraction is another important aspect of safe driving according to the California Department of Motor Vehicles. Encourage friends to be respectful of your current task and teach children that driving is a serious activity that needs your full attention.

In terms of pets, keeping them in the back seat or utilizing transportation crates are methods for preventing them from interfering with the driving process. While we all love our pets, having your dog or cat crawling around beneath your feet while you drive presents a risk that you don’t need to take.

Decreasing the number of factors that distract you while you drive involves decreasing the number of activities, objects and companions that you allow to influence you. Keeping your car free of distractions and choosing to perform other tasks before or after your drive are keys to encouraging safer driving. While the aforementioned tips only cover a small number of issues in terms of distracted driving, they serve as a solid starting point for making your car a distraction free zone.